I guess maybe it depends on the state, but here in NC, yes, Daniel is right - you'd have to pay the "Highway Use Tax" which is like a sales tax when you register the car. I'm sure many other states are the same.

In most states including Arizona and Nevada there is no sale tax for private party auto sales. I am unaware what the policy is in other states.

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I don't know where you got that mis information. I have homes in Mass and Fla. You cannot register a car, transfer into another name WITHOUT paying some tax. I would say in most state you MUST pay a sales or use tax to register a car. In fact in Mass, even if I just want to register a car there, taking a title from Fla and moving it to Mass, to save car insurance, they will charge a 6% tax PLUS an annual excise tax (because I am not a resident) every year until the car is 6 years old. There isn't going to be any tax advantage for most buyers.

I don't know where you got that mis information. I have homes in Mass and Fla. You cannot register a car, transfer into another name WITHOUT paying some tax. I would say in most state you MUST pay a sales or use tax to register a car. In fact in Mass, even if I just want to register a car there, taking a title from Fla and moving it to Mass, to save car insurance, they will charge a 6% tax PLUS an annual excise tax (because I am not a resident) every year until the car is 6 years old. There isn't going to be any tax advantage for most buyers.

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You're both right. In Arizona, there is indeed no sales tax on auto purchases between private parties. I bought my Model S used from a private owner in Seattle, WA and didn't pay any tax upon registration. He also told me Washington State does not tax EV's so on my Model S there has remarkably and legally been no sales tax paid.

I bought my Roadster as a certified preowned from Tesla and had to pay about $4500 in tax upon registration because it was not purchased from a private party.

However, from my understanding, Arizona (and presumably Nevada) is an exception with this rule and in most states you will indeed pay sales tax upon registering the vehicle - which to me seems odd, since the car is essentially being taxed twice. Regardless, most folks are going to be paying some sort of sales tax when purchasing a used car from a private party.

Add California to the list of states where you must pay a tax upon transferring title/registration. I mean technically there is no "sales tax" on private party sales, but they get you either way for the same basic amount.